West Allis council holds public hearing on private-side lead service lateral replacements; staff outlines $2,000 assessment per unit

City staff outlined a plan at the March 24 West Allis Common Council meeting to replace private-side lead water service laterals, telling the council and residents that the project is required under an EPA mandate and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources rules and that funding is available this year.

“My name is Melinda Dieske, and I’m the city engineer,” said Melinda Dieske, who led the presentation. Dieske said the work targets the private portion of the service lateral (from the curb stop to the water meter or house) in areas where the public-side main has already been replaced. She said the city has secured a $1,270,000 Safe Drinking Water Fund loan and plans to collect about $480,000 in special assessments from benefited properties.

Why it matters: the presentation emphasized the regulatory clock and property-level costs. Dieske said the city is implementing state rules tied to an EPA timeline; “the city has to follow these mandates,” she told the council, adding that replacement of private-side lead laterals is mandatory when funding is available.…